War of Will gets work in ahead of unsettled weather
LEXINGTON, Ky. – With the countdown toward Kentucky Derby day relentlessly ticking on, and poor weather looming on the radar, War of Will was one of the first horses on the track Friday morning at Keeneland to work a sharp five furlongs in company in 1:00.20.
Going in company with Battle of Memphis on a muddy, sealed track shortly after training opened at 5:30 a.m., War of Will posted opening splits of 24.40 and 48.60 seconds. He edged away from Battle of Memphis – a 4-year-old who has one win from three starts, but has not missed the board – in the lane and was clear at the wire before galloping out in 1:13.60.
"He trained beautifully all week. He definitely progressed from his last breeze," said assistant trainer David Carroll, who oversaw War of Will this winter at Fair Grounds and also supervises trainer Mark Casse's Keeneland string. "All indications were he would breeze exceptionally good today, and we saw that. Couldn't be any happier with him. All systems are go at the moment."
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This was War of Will's third work at Keeneland since his mishap in the Louisiana Derby on March 23, in which he appeared to lose action in his hind end shortly after breaking from the starting gate, and never got into contention after that while finishing ninth as the favorite. The Lecomte and Risen Star winner worked five furlongs from the gate last weekend in a bullet 59 seconds in a move designed to advance his fitness ahead of another strong effort two weeks out from the Kentucky Derby. Rain fell overnight prior to Friday training, and was expected to resume later in the morning, with heavier rainfall Saturday; some forecasts even called for sleet on Saturday morning. As a result, War of Will's work was moved up one day from his typical schedule. Carroll said that the muddy conditions were a "little bit" of a concern, but he felt the track was well-prepared for the weather.
"It didn't rain during the races yesterday, so [track superintendent Javier Barajas] had a good seal on it, it had a really good bottom on it," Carroll said. "He does a tremendous job, Javier does."
Another horse stabled at Keeneland and currently assured of a spot in the field for the Kentucky Derby is Fountain of Youth winner Code of Honor. Trainer Shug McGaughey planned to wait until Sunday to work the colt, who finished third in the Florida Derby on March 30.
